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1962 Major League Baseball season

{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2024}}

{{MLBseason|year=1962}}

{{Infobox sports season

| title = 1962 MLB season

| league = American League (AL)
National League (NL)

| sport = Baseball

| duration = Regular season:{{Bulleted list

| {{nowrap|April 9 – September 30, 1962 (AL)}}

| {{nowrap|April 9 – October 3, 1962 (NL)}}}}World Series:{{Bulleted list

| {{nowrap|October 4–16, 1962}}}}

| no_of_games = 162

| no_of_teams = 20 (10 per league)

| TV = NBC, CBS

| season = Regular season

| season_champs =

| MVP = AL: Mickey Mantle (NYY)
NL: Maury Wills (LAD)

| MVP_link = Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award

| conf1 = AL

| conf1_link =

| conf1_champ = New York Yankees

| conf1_runner-up = Minnesota Twins

| conf2 = NL

| conf2_link =

| conf2_champ = San Francisco Giants

| conf2_runner-up = Los Angeles Dodgers

| finals = World Series

| finals_link = 1962 World Series

| finals_champ = New York Yankees

| finals_runner-up = San Francisco Giants

| World_Series_MVP = Ralph Terry (NYY)

| World_Series_MVP_link = World Series Most Valuable Player Award

| seasonslist = List of MLB seasons

| seasonslistnames = MLB

| prevseason_link = 1961 Major League Baseball season

| prevseason_year = 1961

| nextseason_link = 1963 Major League Baseball season

| nextseason_year = 1963

}}

{{MLB Team Maps (1962–1963)}}

The 1962 major league baseball season began on April 9, 1962. The regular season ended on October 3, with the San Francisco Giants and New York Yankees as the regular season champions of the National League and American League, respectively. The Giants defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers in a regular season best-of-three tiebreaker, for the National League title in three games, after both teams finished their 162-game schedules with identical 101–61 records. This was the fifth regular season tie-breaker. The postseason began with Game 1 of the 59th World Series on October 4 and ended with Game 7 on October 16. In the seventh iteration of this World Series matchup, and their first since the Giants relocated to San Francisco from New York, the Yankees defeated the Giants, four games to three, capturing their 20th championship in franchise history, winning back-to-back World Series.

For the fourth and final year, there were two separate All-Star Games played. The first, the 32nd Major League Baseball All-Star Game, was held on July 11 at District of Columbia Stadium in Washington, D.C., home of the Washington Senators. The National League won, 3–1. The second, the 33rd Major League Baseball All-Star Game, was held on July 31 at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois, home of the Chicago Cubs. The American League won, 9–4.

In response to the proposed Continental League, the National League announced expansion during the 1960 World Series, with a new team in Houston, Texas and a new team in New York, New York. The 1962 season would see the Houston Colt .45s and New York Mets enfranchised, the latter being the National League's return to New York City after a four-year absence.

Schedule

{{See also|Major League Baseball schedule}}

The 1962 schedule consisted of 162 games for all teams in the American League and National League, each of which had ten teams. Each team was scheduled to play 18 games against the other nine teams of their respective league. The 162-game, 18 games per team format had previously been used by the American League since the previous season due to expansion and was the first season that the National League used it due to their own expansion. The format would be used until {{mlby|1969}}.

Opening Day took place on April 9, featuring four teams. The final day of the scheduled regular season was on October 1, which saw all 20 teams play, the first time all existing teams played on the final day since {{mlby|1960}}. Due to the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants finishing with the same record of 101–61, a best-of-three tie-breaker was scheduled, to be considered an extension of the regular season, and took place between October 1 and October 3. The World Series took place between October 4 and October 16.

Teams

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"

! scope="col" |League

! scope="col" |Team

! scope="col" |City

! scope="col" |Stadium

! scope="col" |Capacity

! scope="col" |Manager{{Cite web |title=1962 Major League Managers |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/majors/1962-managers.shtml |access-date=2025-02-05 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}

rowspan="11" style="{{Baseball primary style|American League}};" |{{Baseball secondary link|American League|American League}}

! scope="row" |Baltimore Orioles

|Baltimore, Maryland

|Baltimore Memorial Stadium

|49,373

|{{sortname|Billy|Hitchcock}}

scope="row" |Boston Red Sox

|Boston, Massachusetts

|Fenway Park

|33,357

|{{sortname|Pinky|Higgins}}

scope="row" |Chicago White Sox

|Chicago, Illinois

|White Sox Park

|46,550

|{{sortname|Al|López}}

rowspan="2" scope="row" |Cleveland Indians

| rowspan="2" |Cleveland, Ohio

| rowspan="2" |Cleveland Stadium

| rowspan="2" |73,811

|{{sortname|Mel|McGaha}}

{{sortname|Mel|Harder}}
scope="row" |Detroit Tigers

|Detroit, Michigan

|Tiger Stadium

|52,850

|{{sortname|Bob|Scheffing}}

scope="row" |Kansas City Athletics

|Kansas City, Missouri

|Municipal Stadium

|34,165

|{{sortname|Hank|Bauer}}

scope="row" |Los Angeles Angels

|Los Angeles, California

|Dodger Stadium{{efn|Dodger Stadium was referred to as "Chavez Ravine Stadium" by the Angels during their tenure.}}

|56,000

|{{sortname|Bill|Rigney}}

scope="row" |Minnesota Twins

|Bloomington, Minnesota

|Metropolitan Stadium

|39,525

|{{sortname|Sam|Mele}}

scope="row" |New York Yankees

|New York, New York

|Yankee Stadium

|67,337

|{{sortname|Ralph|Houk}}

scope="row" |Washington Senators

|Washington, D.C.

|District of Columbia Stadium

|43,500

|{{sortname|Mickey|Vernon}}

rowspan="10" style="{{Baseball primary style|National League}};" |{{Baseball secondary link|National League|National League (baseball)|National League}}

! scope="row" |Chicago Cubs

|Chicago, Illinois

|Wrigley Field

|36,755

|College of Coaches

scope="row" |Cincinnati Reds

|Cincinnati, Ohio

|Crosley Field

|30,322

|{{sortname|Fred|Hutchinson}}

scope="row" |Houston Colt .45s

|Houston, Texas

|Colt Stadium

|32,601

|{{sortname|Harry|Craft}}

scope="row" |Los Angeles Dodgers

|Los Angeles, California

|Dodger Stadium

|56,000

|{{sortname|Walter|Alston}}

scope="row" |Milwaukee Braves

|Milwaukee, Wisconsin

|Milwaukee County Stadium

|43,768

|{{sortname|Birdie|Tebbetts}}

scope="row" |New York Mets

|New York, New York

|Polo Grounds

|56,000

|{{sortname|Casey|Stengel}}

scope="row" |Philadelphia Phillies

|Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

|Connie Mack Stadium

|33,608

|{{sortname|Gene|Mauch}}

scope="row" |Pittsburgh Pirates

|Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

|Forbes Field

|35,500

|{{sortname|Danny|Murtaugh}}

scope="row" |San Francisco Giants

|San Francisco, California

|Candlestick Park

|42,553

|{{sortname|Alvin|Dark}}

scope="row" |St. Louis Cardinals

|St. Louis, Missouri

|Busch Stadium

|30,500

|{{sortname|Johnny|Keane}}

Standings

{{Flexbox wrap|start}}

=American League=

{{1962 American League standings |highlight=New York Yankees}}

{{Flexbox wrap|break}}

=National League=

{{1962 National League standings|highlight=San Francisco Giants}}

{{Flexbox wrap|end}}

Postseason

The postseason began on October 4 and ended on October 16 with the New York Yankees defeating the San Francisco Giants in the 1962 World Series in seven games.

=Bracket=

{{2TeamBracket

| RD1=World Series

| RD1-seed1=AL

| RD1-team1=NY Yankees

| RD1-score1=4

| RD1-seed2=NL

| RD1-team2=San Francisco

| RD1-score2=3

}}

Managerial changes

=Off-season=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
Team

! Former Manager

! New Manager

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" |Baltimore Orioles

|Lum Harris

|Billy Hitchcock

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" |Cleveland Indians

|Mel Harder

|Mel McGaha

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" |Houston Colt .45s

|Team enfranchised

|Harry Craft

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" |New York Mets

|Team enfranchised

|Casey Stengel

=In-season=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
Team

! Former Manager

! New Manager

scope="row" style="text-align:center;" |Cleveland Indians

|Mel McGaha

|Mel Harder

League leaders

=American League=

{{Flexbox wrap|start}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

|+ Hitting leaders{{Cite web |title=1962 American League Batting Leaders |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1962-batting-leaders.shtml |access-date=2025-02-05 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}

style="width:15%;"| Stat

! Player

! style="width:15%;"| Total

AVG

| Pete Runnels (BOS)

| .326

OPS

| Mickey Mantle (NYY)

| 1.091

HR

| Harmon Killebrew (MIN)

| 48

RBI

| Harmon Killebrew (MIN)

| 126

R

| Albie Pearson (LAA)

| 115

H

| Bobby Richardson (NYY)

| 209

SB

| Luis Aparicio (CWS)

| 31

{{Flexbox wrap|break}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

|+ Pitching leaders{{Cite web |title=1962 American League Pitching Leaders |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1962-pitching-leaders.shtml |access-date=2025-02-05 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}

style="width:15%;"| Stat

! Player

! style="width:15%;"| Total

W

| Ralph Terry (NYY)

| 23

L

| Chuck Estrada (BAL)
Ed Rakow (KC)

| 17

ERA

| Hank Aguirre (DET)

| 2.21

K

| Camilo Pascual (MIN)

| 206

IP

| Ralph Terry (NYY)

| 298.2

SV

| Dick Radatz (BOS)

| 24

WHIP

| Hank Aguirre (DET)

| 1.051

{{Flexbox wrap|end}}

=National League=

{{Flexbox wrap|start}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

|+ Hitting leaders{{Cite web |title=1962 National League Batting Leaders |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL/1962-batting-leaders.shtml |access-date=2025-02-05 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}

style="width:15%;"| Stat

! Player

! style="width:15%;"| Total

AVG

| Tommy Davis (LAD)

| .346

OPS

| Frank Robinson (CIN)

| 1.045

HR

| Willie Mays (SF)

| 49

RBI

| Tommy Davis (LAD)

| 153

R

| Frank Robinson (CIN)

| 134

H

| Tommy Davis (LAD)

| 230

SB

| Maury Wills (LAD)

| 104

{{Flexbox wrap|break}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

|+ Pitching leaders{{Cite web |title=1962 National League Pitching Leaders |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL/1962-pitching-leaders.shtml |access-date=2025-02-05 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}

style="width:15%;"| Stat

! Player

! style="width:15%;"| Total

W

| Don Drysdale (LAD)

| 25

L

| Roger Craig (NYM)

| 24

ERA

| Sandy Koufax (LAD)

| 2.54

K

| Don Drysdale (LAD)

| 232

IP

| Don Drysdale (LAD)

| 314.1

SV

| Roy Face (PIT)

| 28

WHIP

| Sandy Koufax (LAD)

| 1.036

{{Flexbox wrap|end}}

Awards and honors

File:Portrait of the baseball player Maury Willis ca1960 (cropped).jpg MVP Maury Wills]]

=Regular season=

class="wikitable"
colspan="3"|Baseball Writers' Association of America Awards
BBWAA Award

! National League

! American League

Rookie of the Year

| Ken Hubbs (CHC)

| Tom Tresh (NYY)

Cy Young Award

| Don Drysdale (LAD)

| —

Most Valuable Player

| Maury Wills (LAD)

| Mickey Mantle (NYY)

Babe Ruth Award
(World Series MVP)

| —

| Ralph Terry (NYY)

colspan="3"|Gold Glove Awards
Position

! National League

! American League

Pitcher

| Bobby Shantz (STL/HOU)

| Jim Kaat (MIN)

Catcher

| Del Crandall (MIL)

| Earl Battey (MIN)

1st Base

| Bill White (STL)

| Vic Power (MIN)

2nd Base

| Ken Hubbs (CHC)

| Bobby Richardson (NYY)

3rd Base

| Jim Davenport (SF)

| Brooks Robinson (BAL)

Shortstop

| Maury Wills (LAD)

| Luis Aparicio (CWS)

rowspan="3" |Outfield

| Bill Virdon (PIT)

| Jim Landis (CWS)

Roberto Clemente (PIT)

| Al Kaline (DET)

Willie Mays (SF)

| Mickey Mantle (NYY)

=Other awards=

class="wikitable"
colspan="3" |The Sporting News Awards
Award

! National League

! American League

Player of the Year{{Cite web |title=Major League Player of the Year Award by The Sporting News {{!}} Baseball Almanac |url=https://www.baseball-almanac.com/awards/aw_snml.shtml |access-date=2025-01-14 |website=www.baseball-almanac.com}}

| Don Drysdale (LAD)
Maury Wills (LAD)

| —

Pitcher of the Year{{Cite web |title=Pitcher of the Year Award by The Sporting News {{!}} Baseball Almanac |url=https://www.baseball-almanac.com/awards/aw_snpy2.shtml |access-date=2025-01-14 |website=www.baseball-almanac.com}}

| Don Drysdale (LAD)

| Dick Donovan (CLE)

Fireman of the Year{{Cite web |title=Fireman of the Year Award / Reliever of the Year Award by The Sporting News {{!}} Baseball Almanac |url=https://www.baseball-almanac.com/awards/aw_snfi.shtml |access-date=2025-01-14 |website=www.baseball-almanac.com}}
(Relief pitcher)

| Roy Face (PIT)

| Dick Radatz (BOS)

Rookie of the Year{{Cite web |title=Rookie of the Year Award by The Sporting News {{!}} Baseball Almanac |url=https://www.baseball-almanac.com/awards/aw_snrp3.shtml |access-date=2025-01-14 |website=www.baseball-almanac.com}}

| Ken Hubbs (CHC)

| Tom Tresh (NYY)

Manager of the Year{{Cite web |title=Manager of the Year Award by The Sporting News {{!}} Baseball Almanac |url=https://www.baseball-almanac.com/awards/aw_snmy.shtml |access-date=2025-01-14 |website=www.baseball-almanac.com}}

| —

| Bill Rigney (LAA)

Executive of the Year{{Cite web |title=MLB Executive of the Year Award {{!}} Baseball Almanac |url=https://www.baseball-almanac.com/awards/aw_sney.shtml |access-date=2025-01-14 |website=www.baseball-almanac.com}}

| —

| Fred Haney (LAA)

=Monthly awards=

==Player of the Month==

{{main|Major League Baseball Player of the Month Award}}

class="wikitable"
Month

! National League

May

| Bob Purkey (CIN)

June

| Sandy Koufax (LAD)

July

| Frank Howard (LAD)

August

| Jack Sanford (SF)

=Baseball Hall of Fame=

{{main|National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum}}

{{further|1962 Baseball Hall of Fame balloting}}

Home field attendance

class="wikitable sortable"
style="text-align:center; font-size:larger;"
Team name

!Wins

!{{abbr|%±|Percent change}}

!Home attendance

!{{abbr|%±|Percent change}}

!{{abbr|Per game|Average home attendance per game}}

Los Angeles Dodgers{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/LAD/attend.shtml|title=Los Angeles Dodgers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|102

|14.6%

|2,755,184

|52.7%

|33,195

San Francisco Giants{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/SFG/attend.shtml|title=San Francisco Giants Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|103

|21.2%

|1,592,594

|14.5%

|19,422

New York Yankees{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/NYY/attend.shtml|title=New York Yankees Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|96

| −11.9%

|1,493,574

| −14.5%

|18,670

Minnesota Twins{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/MIN/attend.shtml|title=Minnesota Twins Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|91

|30.0%

|1,433,116

|14.0%

|17,477

Detroit Tigers{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/DET/attend.shtml|title=Detroit Tigers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|85

| −15.8%

|1,207,881

| −24.5%

|14,730

Los Angeles Angels{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/ANA/attend.shtml|title=Los Angeles Angels Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|86

|22.9%

|1,144,063

|89.6%

|14,124

Chicago White Sox{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CHW/attend.shtml|title=Chicago White Sox Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|85

| −1.2%

|1,131,562

| −1.3%

|13,970

Pittsburgh Pirates{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/PIT/attend.shtml|title=Pittsburgh Pirates Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|93

|24.0%

|1,090,648

| −9.0%

|13,465

Cincinnati Reds{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CIN/attend.shtml|title=Cincinnati Reds Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|98

|5.4%

|982,095

| −12.1%

|12,125

St. Louis Cardinals{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/STL/attend.shtml|title=St. Louis Cardinals Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|84

|5.0%

|953,895

|11.5%

|11,776

Houston Colt .45s{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/HOU/attend.shtml|title=Houston Astros Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|64

|

|924,456

|

|11,274

New York Mets{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/NYM/attend.shtml|title=New York Mets Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|40

|

|922,530

|

|11,532

Baltimore Orioles{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/BAL/attend.shtml|title=Baltimore Orioles Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|77

| −18.9%

|790,254

| −16.9%

|9,637

Milwaukee Braves{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/ATL/attend.shtml|title=Atlanta Braves Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|86

|3.6%

|766,921

| −30.4%

|9,468

Philadelphia Phillies{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/PHI/attend.shtml|title=Philadelphia Phillies Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|81

|72.3%

|762,034

|29.1%

|9,525

Boston Red Sox{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/BOS/attend.shtml|title=Boston Red Sox Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|76

|0.0%

|733,080

| −13.8%

|9,279

Washington Senators{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/TEX/attend.shtml|title=Texas Rangers Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|60

| −1.6%

|729,775

|22.2%

|9,122

Cleveland Indians{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CLE/attend.shtml|title=Cleveland Indians Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|80

|2.6%

|716,076

| −1.3%

|8,840

Kansas City Athletics{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/OAK/attend.shtml|title=Oakland Athletics Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|72

|18.0%

|635,675

| −7.0%

|7,848

Chicago Cubs{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CHC/attend.shtml|title=Chicago Cubs Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=September 8, 2020|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com}}

|59

| −7.8%

|609,802

| −9.4%

|7,528

Television coverage

CBS and NBC continued to air weekend Game of the Week broadcasts. CBS dropped its Sunday broadcasts once the NFL season started in mid-September, dropping the option clause for affiliates to carry baseball or football in place since 1957.{{cite web |url=http://profootballresearchers.com/archives/Website_Files/Coffin_Corner/26-03-1032.pdf|title=A CHRONOLOGY OF PRO FOOTBALL ON TELEVISION: Part 1|last=Brulia|first=Tim|website=Pro Football Researchers}}

The All-Star Game, the National League tie-breaker series, and the World Series aired on NBC.

Retired numbers

See also

Notes

{{notelist}}

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • [https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/MLB/1962-schedule.shtml 1962 Major League Baseball season schedule]

{{1962 MLB season by team}}

{{MLB seasons}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:1962 Major League Baseball Season}}

Category:Major League Baseball seasons